An onboarding plan is a structured and step-by-step approach to successfully integrate new employees into a company. It involves imparting the necessary knowledge, skills, and behaviors to quickly incorporate the new employee into the work processes and the team. A well-thought-out onboarding plan contributes to employee satisfaction, motivation, and retention, and supports the success of the company.
Definition and Objectives
The term onboarding plan refers to the systematic approach to the onboarding and integration of new employees into a company. The plan includes all actions that are necessary to foster and develop the professional, social, and organizational competencies of a new employee. The goal is for the new employee to be able to perform their tasks and responsibilities efficiently and effectively and to quickly integrate into the team and the company.
Components of an Onboarding Plan
An onboarding plan essentially consists of the following components:
- Onboarding objectives: Here, the expectations of the new employee as well as the competencies and knowledge to be achieved are defined.
- Schedule: The schedule provides an overview of the duration of the different onboarding phases and specifies when which content and tasks should be conveyed.
- Responsibilities: The responsibilities for each onboarding step are clearly defined to ensure a smooth process.
- Content of the onboarding: Here, the professional, social, and organizational content that should be imparted during the onboarding period are listed.
- Methods and tools: The methods and tools used to convey the content are determined and provided.
- Success monitoring: To evaluate the success of the onboarding, control mechanisms such as feedback talks or tests are employed.
Phases of Onboarding
The onboarding of a new employee generally occurs in different phases, which should be considered in the onboarding plan:
- Welcome phase: This phase focuses on the greeting and initial orientation in the company. The new employee is introduced to the team and receives an overview of the company culture, structures, and processes.
- Onboarding phase: In this phase, the new employee is taught the professional, social, and organizational knowledge and skills required for their activity. This can be done through training sessions, presentations, or practical exercises.
- Consolidation phase: During this phase, the new employee deepens their knowledge and skills and increasingly takes on independent tasks and responsibilities.
- Reflection phase: In this phase, the onboarding is reflected upon and evaluated together with the new employee. Any potential areas for improvement are identified, and further development needs are determined.
Benefits of an Onboarding Plan
A well-structured onboarding plan offers numerous benefits to both the company and the new employee:
- Facilitates the integration of the new employee into the team and work processes.
- Shortens the onboarding period and increases the productivity of the new employee.
- Promotes employee satisfaction and retention.
- Reduces turnover and the associated costs.
- Improves the company's image as an attractive employer.
Conclusion
An onboarding plan is an important tool to ensure the successful integration and onboarding of new employees into a company. Through the systematic conveyance of knowledge, skills, and behaviors, the new employee is integrated as quickly as possible into the team and the work processes. This contributes not only to employee satisfaction and motivation but also supports the success of the company.
